YORKSHIRE CARNEGIE’S highly-rated young scrum-half is aiming to make maximum impact in tonight’s Championship game at Richmond.

England under-20s player Max Green has been a regular on Carnegie’s replacements’ bench, but will get his first league start of the campaign.

“It is exciting times for the club at the moment with the squad we’ve got,” said the 20-year-old, who is a product of Carnegie’s academy.

“We’ve got good strength in depth in all areas and I am grateful to be in the starting squad this week and excited to get on the pitch and play.

“It is an opportunity for me. Having only two scrum-halves at the club – myself and Al Davies – it is a great opportunity to put myself out there, do what I do and show the players and coaching staff what I can do and that I am ready to be the starting scrum-half week-in and week-out.”

Green – a former Woodhouse Grove and Prince Henry’s Grammar School pupil – started twice in the British and Irish Cup this season, but has had to be patient during Carnegie’s Championship campaign.

He said: “Coming off the bench I have been trying to put in a good impact and show I can start.

“I will keep trying to prove I can do that.”

Tonight is Carnegie’s first meeting with Richmond. The London side are rooted to the foot of the table, but won 17-16 at second-bottom London Scottish last week to register their maiden victory.

“They are going to be up for it,” Green warned.

“They had a good win last week and they’ll want to get another one on the bounce.

“We have got to make sure we stick to our structures and make sure we don’t let them get in our heads.

“We have got to play to our strengths and run them around the park.

“We have to make sure we don’t let them get into the game.”

Victory for second-placed Carnegie would keep up the pressure on leaders London Irish.

“The last couple of weeks we have really improved as a squad,” Green said.

“Our attack is looking really fluid and our defensive structures are looking really good as well.

“We are starting to gel in defence, we are getting stronger week-in and week-out and we are looking forward to the next stage of the Championship season.

“We are in a really good place going into this week’s game after a good win over Doncaster and we are looking to kick on.”

Green replaces Davies tonight in one of two changes to the side which saw off Doncaster a week ago.

Lewis Boyce – who played alongside Green in England under-20s’ World Cup final win over Ireland five months ago – will start at prop in place of Charlie Beech.

Andy Forsyth – a late withdrawal last week – returns on the bench, where Ross Graham takes over from Phil Nilsen.